Washington, DC – There was widespread joy and happiness in the Indian origin community of the United States at the appointment of Harsh Vardhan Shringla as the next Indian ambassador to the US.
Shringla, currently serving as the Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, is expected to take up the assignment shortly, according to an announcement posted on the website of India’s Ministry of External Affairs today (Thursday).
Jessie Singh, a community leader in the Greater Washington area and Chairman of the organization, Sikhs for America welcomed the appointment of a seasoned diplomat and culturally savvy person as the new ambassador of India to Washington, DC. In a call to IAT, Singh said, “We, in the Indian American community and especially in the Sikh Sangat (community), welcome the appointment and we are making preparations to host a grand event to welcome our new ambassador.”
Welcoming the appointment of a very diaspora friendly person, Suresh K. Gupta, Chairman, National Council of Asian Indian Association said in a statement to IAT: “We, Indian American Community of Metropolitan Washington, welcome our incoming Ambassador Harsh Vardhan Shringla, to United States.”
“A great diplomat from 1984 IFS batch, very caring & friendly, Washington looks forward to your stay in USA. We at NCAIA (National Council of Asian Indian Association, Inc. and at AICS (Asian-American Inter Community Service, Inc.) are eager to work with you in strengthening Indo-US relations,” Gupta added.
The business community also expressed faith in the capabilities of the incoming ambassador as Elisha Pulivarti, President and Executive Director, US India SME Council told IAT in a statement, “I am sure the US – India relationship will deepen under the leadership of Ambassador Harsh Vardhan Shringla, the new Ambassador to the United States.”
During a diplomatic career spanning 34 years, Shringla has served his country in Thailand, France, US (UN – New York), Vietnam, Israel and South Africa. Shringla, a graduate from St. Stephen’s College in New Delhi, worked in the corporate and public sectors in India prior to joining the Indian Foreign Service. He has pursued courses and published papers on conflict prevention, economic diplomacy and the Indian diaspora. Shringla speaks French, Vietnamese and Nepalese in addition to being fluent in English and some Indian languages.
Tejinder Singh, Editor, India America Today & White House Correspondent